Things to look forward to
by YayaSamuko
Summary: What if two girls meet at an all-boy school? This is the tale of a serious student and her carefree teacher. [HonoMaki, Yuri, Shoujo-ai, Girl's Love]


Otonokizaka, an all-boy school where the sons of wealthy families were sent. It was a playground of power display and constant rivalry between teenagers who were to inherit their parent's business. Said school was very respectful of traditions and the teachers were as respectable as everyone. 

Normally, becoming a teacher there would require insane skills. Being based on traditions, most teachers there were male and the rare female crew were all rather old. Due to these, it came in an uproar the time the journalism club revealed leaked information about a young female teacher who would be arriving soon. 

Like a wildfire, the information did spread, but unlike in an all-girl school, it didn't turn too crazy. While some were shocked, others were indifferent while a minority were against it. Her date of arrival was still a mystery though. 

[-x-x-x-] 

"It all went loud out of sudden. Gotta admit it." A boy with short orange hair commented as he folded his arms on the table. 

Inside the first year's classroom, the desks were arranged very neatly. There was only one class per year and every classroom had 30 students. Normally, it was very hard to get accepted to such school. 

"Everyone is talking about that new teacher." The brunette sitting behind the ginger sighed. His shirt was buttoned correctly while the tie was neatly resting, in contrast to the other boy who didn't bother buttoning the shirt and let the red T-shirt underneath revealed. "What do you think, Ren-chan?" 

"Not that much actually, Kayo-chin." The boy named Ren just rested his cheek on the desk. "But I admit it might not be bad to have at least a flower in this barren wasteland." 

While not very good with foreign language, Ren was not that bad in literature and his friend understood that. The brunette by the name of Konoha just chuckled before turning to the redhead sitting by his left. "How about you, Maki-chan?" 

"Nothing really." The taller individual just responded dryly. They had bright red hair cut past ears and was rather tall. Add that with slight childish facial traits and their impeccable way of dressing and we had the prince of Otonokizaka. "I mean as long as she doesn't get in my way, I am fine." 

"If you say so..." Konoha sighed. 

Class soon started and everyone got on their seat. One good minute passed as they saw no teacher walked in. As the class representative was about to speak though, the door was slid open. Walking with elegance came a young woman, her long ginger hair attached in French braid and her tall frame enveloped in a professional suit composed of a white buttoned shirt and suit pants alongside a pair of professional black high heels. 

She stopped in front of the board and adjusted her glasses. The room went silent as the woman placed her handbag on the teacher's desk and she grabbed a marker. Writing several characters on the white board, she then turned to the young boys and beamed a cheerful smile. 

"Hello everyone! I am Kousaka Honoka and I will be your new Multimedia teacher from now on." 

Otonokizaka being a mix of general courses and polytechnic one had lot of thinks they taught the students beside the usual ones. It seemed the new teacher has assumed being worthy of teaching such thing. 

"I used to be a teacher on a polytechnic university in Hokkaido but decided I wanted to move back to Tokyo. Now, I am here." 

Despite how cheerful she looked, the students knew she was experienced. It was a trait needed for someone to become a teacher here. Just like for any respectable teacher, the boys all stood up at once and gave a professional bow. "Nice to meet you!" 

"The pleasure is all mine." 

As the students sat back down, Maki had a good look at their new teacher. Class went rather smoothly as Honoka was indeed a confirmed teacher who knew her job. As third period ended, signaling lunch break, the redhead just left without a word and walked toward the music room. 

[-x-x-x-] 

Maki enjoyed playing piano. It allowed them to feel relaxed, especially since no one dared interrupting the Prince during his busy times. At least that's what they thought. 

"That was a really nice music, Nishikino-san~" 

A familiar voice made the student to stop as they turned to the young woman peeking by the door of the music room. "Can I help you?" It was as if the voice used was forced. Even the tone seemed fake. 

Usually, Honoka would not notice that but she knew the truth. Closing the door behind, she took seat beside the younger individual, much to the redhead's discomfort and chuckled. 

"What is it? I am busy so if you have nothing to say, please leave me alone." 

"I just wanted to hear you play? Is that a no?" 

Maki didn't want to argue as they just went back into playing. Their fingers were slender, in contrast to other boys their age... as if... 

After a couple of songs, Honoka chuckled again and leaned against the student. She was pushed back instantly. "What are you doing all of sudden?" 

"Jeez! You're just so uptight, Maki-chan." 

"I do not remember giving you permission to call me by my first name." The redhead acted all high and proud as they retreated their hands from the keys and grabbed a lunchbox. 

"Hehe." The teacher chuckled once again. "I admit it's really a cute name though. Mixing the kanji of Honest and Miracle is unusual." She grinned before speaking again. "Right, Princess?" 

Maki's hands froze at the last words. They slowly turned to Honoka to see a very honest smile on the woman's face. "What are you saying all of sudden?" 

"Nothing really. I just realized we might have more common points than I thought." 

The redhead gulped hard while looking elsewhere. "I wonder about that." They realized it a little late but that comment escaped with a rather girly voice and they quickly covered their mouth. 

Another chuckle followed. "I have to say this school hasn't changed since I was last here?" 

Maki tried hard to not respond in fear of their secret being revealed. The student just opened the lunch box containing a healthy lunch and grabbed a pair of chopsticks. 

They remained in a painful silence for a good minute until Honoka leaned against the student again and stole a chopstick full of tomato that the younger person was planning to eat. A second of silence and Maki bursted in anger. "What do you think you are doing?" Their voice clearly lost all masculinity as it indicated more of a female tone. "Hasn't your parents taught you what manners are?" 

"Is that so? I regret nothing though. As I thought, your real voice is beautiful." 

"Wha-" Maki realized it too late. Could it be this person saw through her disguise. "What are you talking about?" 

"I mean you're a girl, right?" 

"Just because my voice is slightly pitchy doesn't make me one automatically." 

"You do have a point." 

The redhead didn't know what to do. It seems as if this teacher was messing with her. "Sensei..." She looked down, deciding lying would do no good. "I am not crossdressing because I like it or anything. There is something I must do." 

"I know." came the flat answer. "I do not plan on blackmailing you or doing anything stupid. I just wanted to know. The fact is I am not really comfortable in this new environment so I need to have a girl friend. Will you be the one?" 

"Wha-" 

"Isn't that good?" Honoka made a pleading face hard to resist. "I also attended Otonokizaka back then due to family matter so I kind if understand what you are through. The Nishikino family's situation is rather tough but I kind of understand most of it." 

Maki thought about it. While tempted to reject the teacher right away, she could try to find an arrangement. "All right! I will spend time with you occasionally but you shall never bother me or do anything stupid that could dirty my image." 

"Sure!" 

[-x-x-x-] 

"Maki-chan! Maki-chan!" Ren's panicked voice stopped the redhead in her track. She was well-dressed while walking the hallways in direction of the teacher's office while her oblivious friend stopped her. "Is it true Miss Kousaka and you are dating?" 

The crossdresser almost lost balance while making a shocked face. "W-wha... What are you saying, Ren?!" 

"Nozomu-senpai from the journalism club has leaked information about the two of you spending lot of time together at the music room during lunch time or talking after class." The ginger added. "Man! Are you even human? Out of us all you were the first to get a girlfriend. An older woman to top it all." 

"Wait. Ren, calm down!" Maki sighed heavily. "There is really nothing happening between Kousaka-sensei and I. We are just talking from time to time." 

"But she rarely speaks with anyone but you. She is all smiley and energetic during class but you are the only person she talks to outside of class." 

"That's just your imagination I'm sure." The redhead protested. "Anyway, I better get going." And with that, she dashed away, leaving a confused friend behind. 

It took her a good moment before reaching her destination and quickly finished her business. Then, another male teacher caught to her. "Nishikino-kun! May I have a word with you?" 

"Sure." 

The two of them got to the teacher's office. It was a large room with several desks facing each others. The man took seat and motioned the student to do the same. Maki nodded and took the chair across the man. Said teacher smiled. "You did really well lately. The nice results of the exam left me speechless. I am sure your father would be proud." 

"Yes, sir." Maki looked down. Her father was a popular and respected man but above all was a caring father. After her birth, they couldn't have a child anymore so the chances of having a son was nil. That was when she proposed few things and the doctor accepted after hours of discussion. 

"Please continue being awesome!" 

These words made the girl shiver. More pressing was on her back. She needed to constantly keep the top spot in her years and even have advance compared to her senior. That did imply lot of time spent alone studying and less time for her hobbies. After a good minute of silence, she finally spoke again. "Yes, sir! You can count on me." 

A smile was the only response the student got, motioning her she was allowed to leave. 

[-x-x-x-] 

"Maki-chan~" 

Said girl watched from over her shoulder to see the woman she was expecting. The music room was like a sanctuary for the two of them without anyone having to disrupt them. However, that day, instead of playing the piano like always, the redhead was reading a book. "Sensei..." 

"Jeez! I told you to call me Honoka when we are alone, didn't I?" The ginger sat on the small chair facing the bench her student was seated at. Seeing that the girl didn't reach that much, just focusing her eyes on the book, Honoka's smile dropped. "Something bothering you?" 

"You could say." She flipped another page. "I need to constantly strive to be number one for my father's sake. I am not allowed to fail." 

"That's not good, Maki-chan! Too much stress is never good." 

"But-" As the redhead was about to protect, her words were cut as a pair of warm arms wrapped around her neck and over her shoulder from behind. 

Honoka dug her face in her friend's hair and tightened the hug, sharing her own warmth to the younger girl. "Worrying too much is no good. I say you are allowed to fail from time to time like everyone do. When I was a student here, I admit I almost got expelled three times because of bad grades but still managed to success in the end." She took her student's cheeks in her palms and turned her face so they could look onto each other's eyes. "The most important thing is to never give up." 

"But I..." 

"If you can't believe in anything, believe in me." The ginger added as she pushed the girl in her cleavage, forcing Maki to stand up. "You know, I also crossdressed back then for my father's sake but in the end, I was discovered. It didn't change anything though as everyone has accepted things as they were. In the end, I just graduated like everyone without a problem and even now, I got a good job." 

"Honoka..." Maki paused as she took a moment to enjoy the warmth. She was always a mommy's girl so having her face in a woman's chest was nothing new. However, it was different from having a family member and a friend. "I guess you're right... I will try to think about it." 

"Do not forget to have fun, Maki-chan." The teacher added. "School is not just a prison where we study, it helps us train to become good functioning units of society. An overstressed child will do no good. You have to make friends and enjoy youth at its best." 

"I guess... Thank you, Honoka..." 

The woman just chuckled while freeing the redhead. "Glad you understand! As a teacher, it's my duty to lead you." Her smile then widened as she playfully pinched the girl's nose with her lips. "...and to listen and comfort you as a friend." 

"!" Maki's cheeks turned red at these words as she attempted to hide her face back in the teacher's cleavage. "Idiot!" 

Honoka just chuckled at that. 

[-x-x-x-] 

A sigh escaped Honoka, catching the redhead's attention. "Something wrong?" The ribbon on her neck has changed, meaning she was now a second year. Already a year has passed since the teacher has arrived and she managed to get popular. On the other hand, Maki was still crossdressing but let her hair slightly grow longer. 

Another sigh and the teacher rested her cheek on the desk. The two of them were once again in the music room but instead of playing, were studying for the upcoming exam. "I received another confession." 

Maki scoffed and ended up laughing. "Silly Honoka! That's the least to expect for a sole female teacher at an all-boy school." 

"Jeez! Maki-chan is a meanie!" The ginger made a childish pout as she went back to her laptop to prepare a couple of thing. "I have no experience when it comes to these kind of thing. Even having to reject them one after another is becoming a pain." 

Somehow, the student had a panging feeling of loneliness in her chest at the image of someone confession to her friend. She was also popular so she also got confessions from boys and girls alike, being dressed as a man. It was the drawback of popularity. "I don't want her to be taken away." 

"Excuse me?" Honoka gave a tilt of the head. 

Maki noticed she has just her thoughts aloud and her face burnt in shame. "N-no! I-it's nothing. Please pay no attention to me." And with that, she quickly dug her face into her notebook. The student has ended first year as the third spot, having been overtaken by two male students. 

However, as Honoka as expected, no one was deceived or anything. The redhead even had a party thrown for her first "failure". In the end, her father explained his daughter was too uptight and needed to relax from time to time. As long as she managed to keep her grades safe, ranking mattered less. That earned her more friends and credits from the teachers. 

"Say, Honoka..." 

"?" The woman turned to her friend, beaming a smile. 

"I wanted to somehow thank you so maybe you should come over for dinner after the exam." Maki awkwardly said, her face still red while her left hand gripped the pants she was wearing. "It would make me happy." 

"As long as your parents don't mind, it's fine with me." 

Without realizing it, a smile found its way on the student's face, earning a chuckle from the older woman. Maki just threw her book at the teasing Honoka playfully in embarrassment. "Jeez! Honoka, you idiot!" 

[-x-x-x-] 

With the first snow came holidays and the end of exams period. The students rushed home to finally rest. Maki was among them, quickly getting home and shutting herself in her room to look for nice clothes. After all, her favourite teacher was coming over. 

"Maki, dear, is something wrong?" Mrs. Nishikino peeked from the door to check on her daughter. Said girl's room was in a total mess as Maki was trying every clothes in her closet. "It's about that teacher you invited over?" 

"Mama?" The girl's face turned red in embarrassment. "This is not what it looks like." 

The woman just chuckled. "It's the first time you invited someone over so I think you should just wear something simple." She took a simple white shirt with some frills and a plain long black skirt. "If I remember well, it's Miss Kousaka, right?" 

The girl was left speechless as she accepted her mother's proposition. No more word escaped her as she decided to try the clothes on. In addition, the woman put a yellow hairband on her daughter's head to enchant her now longer hair. It was not that long compared to other girl's but it was definitely almost reaching her shoulers. 

As the two were busy, they didn't notice their guest has already arrived. Being Christmas Eve, their Butler and Maid were on vacation so there were only the three Nishikino in their mansion. The man of the house gave the teacher a warm welcome. "Please come in! Maki is still in her room." 

"Thank you, sir!" 

Mr. Nishikino was aware the woman knew about his daughter's real gender so there was no worry. The two of them just headed to the living room to have a small talk. Said man was clad in a simple yellow shirt and black pants along with a pair of slippers, à la vacation mode. "Please have a seat." 

Honoka nodded as she sat across the doctor, on the large couch. On the low table were cups and a kettle. The man poured some tea into the cup and offered it to their guest. The ginger gladly accepted and took a sip. "This is great!" 

"Glad to hear that!" 

Honoka was also clad in a simple white dress with yellow frills whose skirt reached her knees. She was wearing the pair of slippers offered while arriving, her pair of red high-heels left at the entrance. Her hair was fully untied that day. 

"So, from what I heard, the two of you became good friends?" 

The woman nodded. "I was afraid about the 7 years difference at first but it turned out friendship has no age." 

"Friendship, huh? How innocent..." The man muttered, chuckling. 

"Is there something the matter, sir?" 

"No. It's nothing. I'm just glad my little Tomato is almost a woman." The doctor took a sip from his cup and looked down, somehow sad. "It was as if she was just a small girl that would follow me around yesterday and now, she is almost an adult. I guess I owe you a lot for always guiding her." 

"It's my duty as a teacher and as her friend." Honoka explained, taking another sip before placing the now empty cup on the table. "But if I may, I would like to talk about her future." 

"Pray tell your mind!" 

The teacher paused an instant to think of a nice choice of word. "Well... she is a smart girl but tends to worry about things too much. With that, I would like to give a proposition; to have her study music after graduation." She paused another time to let her words sink in. "I know your family is a proud league of skilled doctors but she has lot of potential and I want to support her. Back when I was her age, my dream was to take over our family shop but my father forbid me to and had me become a teacher." 

"I see..." The redhead folded his arms and closed his eyes. A painful silence took place until he finally opened his eyes again. "On normal circumstances, I would deny right away but you understand her more than anyone. I admit I had dreams on my own when I was young but the pressure made me give up. I realize now I don't want my daughter to live the same pain. She is my most precious one and I wish her to never get hurt." 

"Maki-chan is a strong girl." Honoka added. "I looked over her the past one and half year and can affirm she can reach the end goal without getting hurt. I believe in her and wish to fully support her." 

Another silence took place before the man nodded. "I guess I will not always be there to protect her... However, I have a proposition on my own." 

"Yes?" 

"You have to take your responsibility for your words." The doctor gave a firm look but seeing that the teacher didn't flinch, he smiled. "If you make her cry, I will make you regret. Got it?" 

"Yes, sir!" The ginger nodded happily. 

[-x-x-x-] 

A calming sound of piano being played was echoing inside the large apartment as the two residents were sitting by the window. Already a good decade has passed since Honoka and Maki knew each others and they were now renting an apartment together. It was rather large with everything needed, a large piano included. 

On Sunday after like this, the couple was just relaxing while checking old pictures and listening to nice music. "Do you remember this, Maki?" The ginger pointed at a picture taken on high school graduation day. The redhead girl was still wearing the male uniform but she grew her hair past shoulder and looked way more effeminate. 

"It took a moment to explain to Ren that I was a girl all along." Maki chuckled. "He thought we were playing a prank." 

"I am glad everyone understood in the end." The teacher added as she leaned against her girlfriend so they would be shoulder against shoulder. "I am also glad you managed to graduate in music college without any problem." 

Honoka was still a high-class teacher. After three years of service in Otonokizaka, she was transferred into a co-ed school for elites that was closer to the college her former student has attended. The two of them grew closer as per Mr. Nishikino's deal and their friendship slowly turned into love. Overcoming a taboo was harder but since the gap was not that large, I was easily solved. 

"Now then..." The redhead yawned as she glanced at the settling sun at the horizon through the large glass window. "Shall we make dinner? I want a supplement of tomato." 

Honoka chuckled. "Silly Maki! You never change." 

"Jeez! Honoka you idiot!" Maki playfully hit the woman she loved, the two of the breaking in laugher. They had so much things to look forward to. 

[-x-x-x-] 

**A/N: YayaSamuko here! This was my response to the teacher-student yuri challenge someone put on. I hope it's not as bad as I think.  
**

**For the age gap, I was tempted to make it 10 years or more but went against it if I wanted to make the story serious. Also, it took a moment to decide of making it an all-boy school. Anyway,  
**

**See you next time!**


End file.
